It is an act of altering any piece of Stephen King ‘s work. But changing The Stand? That’s a challenge on an entirely different level, and one that CBS All Access is taking on this winter. During a series of interviews involving Decider, series action executives Benjamin Cavell and Taylor Elmore, and star James Marsden revealed what they have planned for these new miniseries.
Ged The Stand one of the longest-running books in the great bibliography of King, Cavell and Elmore chose for a more precise change. CBS All Access miniseries has just nine events, the first one kicking between multiple timelines. The creation of this first fast-track program was all part of Cavell and Elmore’s plan for the series.
“Indeed, our non-linear narrative distinguishes us from the original miniseries, which have the same serial narrative as the book. But also, when we first sat down to put this out, it felt to me that everyone had seen it. Contagion and Seizure. I love those movies. But did we want to make people sit through three parts of the world dying before we reached the flesh of our story? ” Cavell explained. “Look, me – and I know Taylor feels this way too – The Stand not really a book about a pandemic. I mean, of course there is, or part of it or there is a pandemic. But in reality the pandemic is the way the world gets empty so that our heroes can walk to Mordor to traverse a sort of dead world. ”
Although the last creators decided to convert the novel to miniseries, there were initial discussions The Stand be a multi-season project. “There was a lot to do in one season. But as we started exploring some of the story, starting to figure out what stories we wanted to focus on, it came together much more simply as a one-season arc, ”said Elmore. . “They’re always keen to think about a second season but that would obviously create it from whole clothes. ”
“Anyway, they were open to as many events as we felt it was going to take to tell the story,” Cavell said.
Coda King was also to be considered, a new ending for Frannie (Odessa Young) whose master of horror has been working for years. “The King’s part seemed to be a little mobile within that because we knew he had this thing and it had been growing and he probably wanted to do it. So we were kind enough to leave the door open for that, ”Cavell explained. “But it really came to the point where nine people just felt like the kind of perfect number where there are no times that feel like we’re betraying water. Everything is moving to the maximum. ”
And the face of this ambitious saw is only James Marsden. Marsden plays Stu Redman, an everyday man who becomes the leader of this new world ravaged by a deadly flu. “I don’t think anyone is consciously making the decision, ‘I’m going to be the leader of this group. ‘I think he’s a man with a strong moral code,’ Marsden said of his character. “It naturally falls into that role because he is surrounded by so many other people trying to figure out what the hell he should do and how you can move on. His ideas are overwhelming. He sees everything in a very black and white way. It gives that quiet presence. ”
As a follower of King himself, Marsden noted that “accomplishing a project bucket list was another accomplishment in a project from the author.” But it’s Marsden’s relationship with his character that is likely to make that checkpoint feel sweeter. When asked what character King he identifies with the majority, Stu Redman came to mind.
“I like the non-flashy characters, who stand for more than what you see on the surface. He’s the kind of person I feel I could be more like. In that respect I acknowledge his virtues, his commitment to good. I know that’s an eye roll. But in terms of character, I had to go with Stu, maybe, ”Marsden explained. “The other reason I’m Stu is because I’m from Oklahoma. I grew up outside of Oklahoma City, not too rural … I keep going back to the description of a normal person, just a simple man from a simple little town. And this hero, in other people’s eyes, is coming out of this guy just trying to do the right thing. ”
Recent events of The Stand premiere on CBS All Access Thursday at 3 / 2c am
Look The Stand on CBS All Access